With over 300,000 employees in over 50 countries, the Group has continued to grow during 2017. Our people is key to delivering quality and reliable products and services to our customers consistently. Good talent management is integral to sustaining the long-term success of the Group. CK Hutchison aspires to be an employer of choice through effective talent acquisition, systematic training and provision of an inclusive working environment.

Recruiting, Engaging and Retaining Talent
The Group’s success depends heavily on the ability to attract, retain and motivate suitable talent in the competitive labour markets. The Group works closely with educational institutions to recruit young talent that can support the Group’s growth.

Where possible, different businesses across the Group conduct workshops, site visits, and internships to introduce their industries or professions to the younger generation. At the Head Office, we periodically promote short term internships to legal, chartered secretary and accounting students. This year, the CKHH Volunteer Team initiated a career development programme in conjunction with the Hong Kong Education Bureau for high schoolers in the northern districts of Hong Kong. Hundreds of students were given interview training and evaluations as well as introductions to different industries to broaden their skillsets and perspective before they enter the workforce.

The power companies of CK Infrastructure, CitiPower and Powercor under the Victoria Power Networks in Australia, have trained hundreds of apprentices and trainees. They have also developed a three-month summer programme for university students to gain work experience as part of their university courses and make valuable contacts for their career development following graduation.

In the UK, Superdrug and Savers offer 12-month apprenticeship programmes in areas ranging from retail, healthcare and pharmacy to warehousing and distribution. Superdrug was recognised by The Sunday Telegraph as “Top 10 Employers” in the Retail sector for apprenticeships.

In Canada, Husky Energy offers Summer, Co-Op/Internships and New Graduate opportunities throughout the year. These programmes last from four to 16 months and give students and new graduates the opportunity to gain career-related experience, supported with mentorship programmes and guidance from experienced professionals.

Diverse Culture
Respecting and being inclusive of colleagues of different cultures has been crucial to the sustained growth of the Company over the past several decades. Husky not only actively promotes the importance of an inclusive culture but also built the message into the design of its Newfoundland and Labrador offices. Accessibility was a priority when its 100,000 sq ft office space in downtown St John’s was designed. Its space is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, with attention paid to various needs, including colour coded floors for people with visual difficulties, adjustable workstations, automatic door openers, and angled panels undersinks to accommodate wheelchairs.

CK Hutchison hires and rewards staff for their performance and follows a stringent anti-discrimination employment policy by which staff is employed regardless of race, gender, physical ability or faith. The Group reviews the remuneration package annually to ensure that it stays competitive with the market and that employees are rewarded equitably. CK Hutchison values diversity and talent is hired solely based on the merits of employees. The Group has adopted policies that provide equal employment opportunities to recruit, promote and assign employees based on their skills, abilities and how these fit with the job requirements.

Valuing Our Employees
The Group respects the rights of employees in expressing their views and has established various channels to facilitate communication with them. Businesses conduct regular seminars and forums to share views and collect ideas from their colleagues. Feedback from employees through the many channels help improve and enhance talent management practices.

Recognising the benefits of healthy industrial relations, the Port division has continued to promote the sharing of good practices across the division. Staff and management from a wide range of business functions channel key learning to business unit management to proactively address issues, concerns, or process improvement recommendation.

Many of the Group’s businesses are lauded for their employee programmes. For example, ASW was recognised as a “Distinguished Family-friendly Employer” in Hong Kong for the seventh consecutive year since 2011 as well as the “Top Employer” in the Netherlands and Belgium. Northumbrian Water was recognised by media agency Bloomberg as “one of the Best Employers to work for in the UK”. In Australia, SA Power Networks was recognised for its apprenticeship programmes while Reliance in Canada was recognised as one of the “Best Places to work”. In Sweden, 3 Sweden was ranked one of the “Top 5 Great Places to Work”. These recognitions have demonstrated the commitment to talent retention and motivation to have employees build their careers with the Group.

The Group upholds labour standards throughout its businesses. The Group’s policies strictly prohibit the use of child labour and forced labour and rigorous measures and audits are taken to prevent such practices in the Group’s operations.

Investing in Training and Development
It is a top priority of the Group to ensure that employees at all levels are developed and motivated to deliver our commitments to our stakeholders. Each division develops its training programmes to meet specific business needs. Trainings include orientation, sharing sessions, workshops and internal-external courses. Employees are also entitled to various subsidies and sponsorships for job-related training courses to encourage lifelong learning. For example, 3 Ireland launched the 2018 Graduate Programme, creating paid learning opportunities in various areas including IT and networks, finance, marketing, business, human resources and customer relations.

Promoting Well-being, Health and Safety
The Group cares about the well-being of its employees. The Company promotes work-life balance and provides a range of paid leave entitlements to employees. Where operation needs allow, many businesses are exploring and offering staff greater flexibility in managing their work and free time.

The Group strives to create a safe workplace for all employees. Many businesses have implemented safety management systems in accordance with national or international standards, such as OHSAS 18001, to protect our employees from occupational hazards. Safety training programmes are provided to our employees based on work nature and safety standards are also applied consistently in the workplace.

A safe workplace relies on the establishment of safety culture, policies and procedures and employee behaviour. In addition to implementing industry best practices for safety, businesses are tasked with providing employees with periodic refresher courses to ensure the importance of following the guidelines are truly engrained into the operations’ culture.

All of the Group’s businesses strive to minimise accidents and continuously work to improve workplace safety and educate employees on proper procedures. In 2016, Hutchison Ports instituted a policy in which workplace safety incidents were to be reviewed and investigated by external trained personnel. The aim is to go as far as practicable in order to take effective measures to strengthen workplace safety and share the lessons learned across the business units of the Ports division. This system has helped several ports improve their processes over the course of the year.

To protect its workers, Husky changed its business practice to help prevent “gas-and-dash” incidents that put gas station staff and the public at risk. Husky introduced a pre-pay policy at its Alberta locations in September, to enhance the safety of attendants. By the end of December, all Husky fuel stations across Canada were only selling fuel by pre-payment.

In addition to work place safety, many businesses play a role in promoting health and well-being in their local communities. In the Middle East, Hutchison Ports Ajman donated medical devices to help children suffering from diabetes. In the UK, UK Power Networks provided emergency power packs for the vulnerable population who may be the most at risk in the event of a power emergency. In Denmark, 3 Denmark was awarded the “Health award 2017” for its “EasyMove” health initiative where employees work out during breaks at the office.

Regulatory Compliance
During the reporting period, the Group was not aware of any non-compliance with laws and regulations that have a significant impact on the Group relating to employment, occupational health and safety, or labour standards.